Chelsea – Arsenal

1. Afternoon all and welcome to Chelsea v Arsenal, from Stamford Bridge.

2. John Terry leads Chelsea despite more revelations about his private life in the Sunday papers. John Obi Mikel returned to the Chelsea side for the first time since the African Nations Cup, with Ashley Cole returning at left-back.

3. Manager Arsene Wenger made a couple of changes from last week's mauling by Man Utd as fit-again Abou Diaby came into midfield, while England forward Theo Walcott also started. Veteran former captain Sol Campbell was on the bench.

4. It's a massive game for both sides today. If Arsenal lose their faint title hopes will be all but extinguished. Chelsea of course, need a win to take them back to the top of the league. We're all set.

5. 1'

   We're off...

6. 2'

   An early scare for Arsenal as a long ball pumped downfield sees Drogba one on one with Clichy. The left back regains possession and hammers clear.

7. 3'

   Then Arsenal hit back as Fabregas bursts down the right, the ball is worked wide left before Clichy's cross goes behind. Poor.

8. 4'

   Another neat move from Arsenal as Fabregas finds Nasri. He cuts in and has a pop but the ref gives a goal kick when it was a clear corner.

9. 5'

   Fabregas picks up Carvalho's wayward pass and tries to release Arshavin but his pass is equally wayward.

10. 6'

    Clichy jumps into Anelka and Chelsea have a free kick on the right flank.

11. 7'

    Drogba turns it in, rather than tries to get on the end of it, buit Walcott, of all people, nods behind for a corner.

12. 8'

    GOAL! Drogba!

13. 8'

    Terry meets the corner and at the back post Drogba is totally free to volley home from two yards out. Awful defending.

14. 9'

    An uphill task for Arsenal just got steeper. Poor marking has cost them again, as Alex Song was caught ball watching and was three yards off Drogba when he latched on to Terry's flick.

15. 10'

    Fabregas drills a ball to Arshavin and his flick is nowhere near the onrushing Nasri.

16. 11'

    Don't forget Arsenal went 1-0 down here last year before storming back to win 2-1. Mind you, the fella who scored both their goals that day was a certain Robin van Persie.

17. 12'

    Arsenal win a corner.

18. 14'

    Fabregas' corner is too close to Cech and he claims near his goal line.

19. 14'

    Nasri tries to feed Fabregas but Ballack steps in to concede a corner.

20. 15'

    Drogba nods the corner away with a towering header. Then Walcott miscontrols and Chelsea move upfield before Drogba is flagged offside from Mikel's pass.

21. 16'

    Nasri latches on to a great ball from Song and Cech comes out. The Arsenal forward skips round him, but very wide, and the 'keeper blocks his attempted cross. Corner.

22. 17'

    What a ball from Fabregas! It loops over Carvalho, Arshavin meets it cleanly on the volley but Cech saves from point blank range.

23. 18'

    That was an excellent save. Arshavin did well to get such a powerful effort off on the volley, but it was close to Cech's left boot and he could just kick it clear instinctively.

24. 19'

    More nice passing from Arsenal. Nasri finds Arshavin, his shot is deflected and sails behind for a corner.

25. 20'

    Arshavin gets hold of it on the edge of the box and has another go but Carvalho blocks. Arsenal have come right back into this after the goal.

26. 23'

    GOAL! Drogba!

27. 23'

    The first time Chelsea break out of their half for ten minutes and they score. Lampard feeds Drogba, he dribbles into the box from the right and lashes a left foot shot into the net from 14 yards.

28. 24'

    Oh dear Arsenal. Great going forward, rubbish at the back. As soon as their attack broke down it was four v four and Chelsea made them pay.

29. 26'

    Just like last week, a potentially great game is pretty much over as a contest within half an hour. Unless Arsenal score next, and quickly.

30. 27'

    Sagna crosses well but you don't feel like anyone is going to get on the end of it. Cech comes out to punch clear.

31. 28'

    Song turns in the box and finds Fabregas but his left foot shot is well wide.

32. 29'

    Diaby miscues after Gallas loses out to Drogba. Arsenal look very shaky at the back.

33. 30'

    Diaby nudges Drogba and he does his spaghetti legs routine to buy a free kick.

34. 31'

    Ashley Cole gets the better of Walcott and skips round the back of him. Lampard's ball is a good one and only a poor touch of control inside the area denies him a clear strike on goal. Almunia gets there and concedes a corner.

35. 32'

    Arshavin's lofted ball to the back post is turned behind for a corner by Ivanovic.

36. 35'

    Clichy has a bash from way out wide but it was never troubling Cech.

37. 36'

    Terry charges forward and lays-off to Maluda. He crosses but Gallas clears at the near post.

38. 37'

    Drogba receives the next cross and tries to touch off to Anelka but Clichy gets in the way.

39. 38'

    Walcott is down after Song kneed him in the head. Accidentally of course.

40. 40'

    Fabregas tries a little too hard by having a punt from 30 yards when off balance. That was very much in hope.

41. 41'

    Time for another Arsene Wenger rocket at half time, a la Anfield me thinks.

42. 42'

    Song feeds Nasri and he crosses well but Cole is there to nod clear. That was where a centre forward should be but no red shirt near it.

43. 43'

    Arsenal decide to take the corner short and within one pass it ends up with Clichy in his own half.

44. 44'

    Ivanovic is penalised for tripping Fabregas off the ball as Carvalho charged down the right. A sneaky foul and definitely a free kick.

45. 45'

    Malouda and Vermaelen clash heads as they go for a bouncing ball. The defender is down and the Chelsea man has a bloody cut on his head. Nasty.

46. 45'

    That's half time and Drogba is the man of the moment. Two goals, exploiting some very weak Arsenal defending, and unless something drastic happens, they are going back to the top of the table.

47. 46'

    We begin again...

48. 47'

    No changes for either side at half time, maybe surprisingly in Arsenal's case. Clichy sums up their error strewn performance with a poor ball down the line for Nasri.

49. 48'

    Sagna crosses and Cole shanks his clearance behind for an Arsenal corner.

50. 49'

    Fabregas' corner is poor and Cech catches under no pressure.

51. 50'

    Drogba shrugs off Clichy very easily but gets his shot all wrong. Now he is limping. No one seems bothered.

52. 51'

    Vermaelen tears off up front and tries to play Walcott in down the right but fails.

53. 52'

    Arsenal are in 'try to walk it in' mode after messing around on the edge of the box. They eventually win a corner from which Diaby gets a chink of light in the area but Malouda closes him down.

54. 53'

    Arshavin gets a pocket of space but his attempted pass for Fabregas is so weak it defies believe. No conviction there whatsoever.

55. 54'

    Half chance for Lampard after Malouda volleyed Drogba's centre across goal. He tried a flick but it ended up tamely rolling into Almunia's arms.

56. 55'

    A series of loose touches from Chelsea players let Arsenal off the hook. Ivanovic did well, then found Lampard, who in turn found Anelka but he rather fell over the ball and the chance was lost.

57. 56'

    The cameras have just picked out Matt Damon in the stands alongside his director in the Bourne series of films, Paul Greengrass.

58. 57'

    A great run from Drogba down the left finds Malouda but he is tackled in the nick of time by Song, then Ballack tries an ambitious effort and drags it wide.

59. 59'

    Why did Nasri hesitate then?! He was clean through but delayed his shot and was robbed by Terry. No conviction at all and a great opportunity goes begging.

60. 60'

    Walcott looks like a League One player on this form. Lampard has all the time in the world to track him and rob him of possession.

61. 61'

    That was truly inexplicable from Nasri. He was 15 yards out faced with Cech, and though Walcott was too his right he had to shoot. He delayed, Terry nipped in.

62. 63'

    A good Arsenal move thoroughly breaks down with Walcott. He collects a neat ball from Arshavin but miscontrols, then he passes right to Carvalho. What has happened to him?

63. 64'

    That is Walcott's last involvement, as Bendtner replaces him. Terry looks in a lot of trouble too after that tackle on Nasri.

64. 65'

    I am officially ruling Arsenal out of the title race right here, and right now. They have been so insipid and weak today it is not true. Nasri epitomises their poor display with a weak shot from a ridiculous angle.

65. 66'

    Terry is ok by the way. He has a heavily strapped thigh but it looks like it was just a dead leg. Painful, but not life threatening.

66. 67'

    Incredible scenes as Drogba comes back to win a ball from Fabregas, then the Arsenal captain rides his back for about three yards. Then Carvalho fouled Bendtner right on the edge of the box. A chance for the Gunenrs.

67. 68'

    Superb save from Cech as Fabregas drilled the ball in low. Then Bendtner turns the ball in between Cole's legs and falls over but it was more to do with his balance than a touch.

68. 69'

    Mike Dean gives it some Howard Webb theatrics as he describes how song pulled back Drogba. OTT.

69. 70'

    Good pressure from Lamaprd who is in on Song as soon as he gets the ball.

70. 71'

    Almunia heads clear after rushing out to meet Ballack's looped ball for Malouda.

71. 72'

    Ballack slots a ball into Malouda but he is offside.

72. 73'

    Two more Arsenal changes: Diaby and Sagna go off, Rosicky and Eboue come on.

73. 74'

    Cole crosses, Nasri blocks and Chelsea have a corner.

74. 75'

    Ballack meets Malouda's corner but it flies over the bar.

75. 76'

    Bendtner has slotted right in after another pitiful effort on goal. He went to his left inside the area and dribbled a shot at Cech.

76. 77'

    Nasri crosses towards Arshavin but Terry clears, then EBoue gets to the byline but can't get a decent cross off and JT clears again. Arsenal getting desperate.

77. 78'

    Things are becoming very congested in the fial third as Arsenal push up. They don't look like getting through the sheer weight of Chelsea numbers though.

78. 79'

    That's better as Nasri knocks down to Bendtner but Cech gets there first and turns it behind.

79. 80'

    Chelsea change: Zhirkov on for Ballack.

80. 81'

    Lampard is caught late by Song and gets a yellow card. Chelsea free kick 25 yards out.

81. 82'

    Drogba hits the bar! ALmunia doesn't even move and the free kick smashes back off the crossbar.

82. 83'

    Fabregas gets a booking now after hauling down Drogba.

83. 84'

    Lampard squres the free kick to Anelka but it was travelling and he couldn't keep it down.

84. 85'

    Wenger is standing in Ancelotti's technical area and giving someone some stick about summat.

85. 86'

    Joe Cole is coming on for Anelka.

86. 86'

    Now Zhirkov gets a yellow. Mike Dean seems to have got into the bookings of late.

87. 87'

    Vermaelen heads forward amid cries of "shoooot" in the office, largely for fantasy league reasons, but he drags it wide.

88. 88'

    Fabregas throws his hand up in disgust as Rosicky can't return his pass.

89. 89'

    Bendtner looks off the pace as he wastes possession under no pressure at all.

90. 90'

    Eboue cross, Fabregas meets it but heads wide of the far post. Five minutes added...

91. 91'

    Drogba comes off to a good ovation, Kalou comes on.

92. 91'

    Drogba even gets a standing ovation from Matt Damon.

93. 92'

    Oh dear Bendtner. Awful football. Inside the area, trying to beat his man, trips over the ball and Carvalho comes away with it.

94. 93'

    Cole nudges Rosicky out the way as he tried to reach a pass. That should have been an Arsenal free kick on the edge of the box.

95. 94'

    Time is nearly up, and time is out for Arsenal's title tilt. It's more about holding on to a top four place for them now I would argue.

96. 95'

    That's it. Chelsea go back to the top of the table with an accomplished performance. Arsenal did ok in patches but failed for a cutting edge, or some conviction. They had two excellent chances which they spurned, Chelsea had the same but found the net twice. Thanks for your company.

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